Crappy Stanley Crowbar/Prybar

[David Lowry]

I have a pretty sad story to tell. This is why people like me are looking away from good old American companies.

First let me preface this by stating that I have had so many problems with my last two domestic cars that my next car will be a Honda. My wife has an Accord and has more miles than I do and never has a problem.

Today I went to Lowe's to buy a crowbar and a couple other things. Since I'm renovating my kitchen I needed a crowbar to pry some of the old cabinets out, among other things.

As I'm looking at different crowbars at Lowe's I notice that all of the Stanley brand ones are really crappy looking and have very poorly ground ends. Some of the ends are even blunt. They are made in Mexico. Some of them were even made in the USA, and they looked pretty bad too. As you may know the ends of a crowbar or prybar need to be kind of pointy and sharpened so you can get under nails, or wood or cabinets or whatever.

So I pick up the best looking one there made by "Task Master". It's also the cheapest and is ground and sharpened the best. It's made in China.

I was just surprised to see this kind of quality from China. So, as long as American companies continue to make junk I will not buy from them. I don't care if they are made in the USA or Mexico or where ever else.

I had a similar problem with Craftsman Torx drivers. I had to keep returning them because I would twist the ends and they would deform. Craftsman used to be a really good quality tool. Their hand tools still are (box wrenches, sockets, ratchets, etc..). The other stuff they put out I will no longer buy. I have a Craftsman cordless drill that will not keep a charge worth anything. I've had it for maybe 3 years. The problem is that no matter how much I return stuff and get new stuff it still breaks just as easily as the one before it. I get tired of having to go to the store to return stuff so instead I just go to Lowe's and buy another brand like DeWalt or Makita or something. It's sad really.

So, I really can't say anything now about the Byrd Line. I'm sure they are damn fine knives.

Today was just the last straw and I again was disappointed in what used to be a good American company and ended up buying a better tool made in China by a company that I have never heard of.

[flipe8]

All things being equal. I'll always by domestic(that means Canadian first for me). I've spent some pretty serious coin as result. For outdoor gear, take a look at Arcteryx and you'll see what I mean. But if I can't get the product I want, I have no problem buying foreign. The last few sea kayaks I've purchased were from Great Britain, because, IMO, they make the best handling boats in the industry. It is very upsetting when local manufacturers think they can rest on customers' loyalties while letting the quality slide.

[java]

Estwing - still made in the USA - makes a good series of prybars but they may not suit your requirements. I think there are a lot of us with the same idea. I would pay for the better product and sadly, many of those products do not seem to be made in America. That said, your wife's Honda was probably made in America by good old American laborers. Why is it that the Japanese and German run makers here can turn out a good product in American using the same labor pool that Detroit does? What do they know about their employees and how to make them a part of their success that American management and labor unions don't?? Sad indeed......



J

[Texas guy]

I'm on my third Honda, and probally will buy a fourth when time comes. I believe my Accord is like 90% American made too. Even some of the plastic interior panels, like the fuse panel, are stamped "made in USA" on the back. So I agree with java, it's not the laobr pool it must be the way the companies are run. Its a damn shame, but I refuse to spend my money on crap just to be "loyal". Hopefully American run companies will follow Spyderco and others by using high quality, customer service and excellent craftsmanship to earn our dollars.

[David Lowry]

Estwing - still made in the USA - makes a good series of prybars but they may not suit your requirements. I think there are a lot of us with the same idea. I would pay for the better product and sadly, many of those products do not seem to be made in America. That said, your wife's Honda was probably made in America by good old American laborers. Why is it that the Japanese and German run makers here can turn out a good product in American using the same labor pool that Detroit does? What do they know about their employees and how to make them a part of their success that American management and labor unions don't?? Sad indeed......



J

You're absolutely right. My wifes Honda was made in Marysville Ohio not too far from me.

And yes, I love Estwing. I have had a fiberglass 20 oz. Estwing hammer for about 10 years now. It's the best hammer I own. Unfortunately my Lowe's store didn't have any Estwing crowbars/prybars in stock.

I too am confused about them using the same labor pools. I wonder if Honda doesn't use unions? Hmmm.....

[cobrajoe]

I don't know if I'd go so far to say that all japanese cars are better than american cars. I'll admit that american automakers might not try that hard on the smaller cars (neon and cavalier are just horrible, and the focus isn't too much better), but I think American trucks and larger cars have the edge over imports. I may be a little opinionated when it comes to cars, but I really do not like the way the japanese cars drive, or the way they are built. Example: on some honda's and other imports you actually need to pull one drive shaft to get to the alternator. On my mustang I pulled my alternator off in only a couple minuites. I also know that I'm a minority on this because I actually fix about everything on my cars.

Sorry about the mild rant, but I just don't like the general design of imports, or cheaply made American cars. If my education goes right, maybe I'll have a hand in turning the American companies around. I'm going for a degree in Mechanical Engineering with a emphasis in automotive.

But I will admit that sometimes American made products aren't the best. But you will usually end up getting what you paid for.

[zenheretic]

Sorry about the mild rant, but I just don't like the general design of imports, or cheaply made American cars. If my education goes right, maybe I'll have a hand in turning the American companies around. I'm going for a degree in Mechanical Engineering with a emphasis in automotive.

But I will admit that sometimes American made products aren't the best. But you will usually end up getting what you paid for.
One can only hope, but what will likely happen as you stay home for the weekend to study calculus; some Ivy league idiot who studies Poli Sci will go to his roommates mansion and smoosh the "Big Boys". You'll graduate with an ME degree, maybe with honors. He will graduate in five years after taking one year off to go to Europe. You'll work you tail off to proove your worth, and he'll be hired to be your boss and go to meetings to make decisions in a committee. Decisions that will cause you to lose your hair and turn what remains grey before its time. But maybe I'm a little jaded. :D

[java]

I don't know if I'd go so far to say that all japanese cars are better than american cars. I'll admit that american automakers might not try that hard on the smaller cars (neon and cavalier are just horrible, and the focus isn't too much better), but I think American trucks and larger cars have the edge over imports. I may be a little opinionated when it comes to cars, but I really do not like the way the japanese cars drive, or the way they are built. Example: on some honda's and other imports you actually need to pull one drive shaft to get to the alternator. On my mustang I pulled my alternator off in only a couple minuites. I also know that I'm a minority on this because I actually fix about everything on my cars.

Sorry about the mild rant, but I just don't like the general design of imports, or cheaply made American cars. If my education goes right, maybe I'll have a hand in turning the American companies around. I'm going for a degree in Mechanical Engineering with a emphasis in automotive.

But I will admit that sometimes American made products aren't the best. But you will usually end up getting what you paid for.


CJ,

Paying top dollar doesn't ensure quality and I'll agree to point regarding design but you'll probably change quite a few Mustang alternators (usually hecho in Mexico) before you have to change one Honda alternator. (Plus you're comparing a cramped under the hood FWD car to a classic RWD Mustang) The Japanese just seem to integrate their work better. (And not, unfortunately, for the mechanic's benefit). Please study hard and fix all of this!!!!! Future Shelbys are depending on you! :D


J

[David Lowry]

I used to own a '64 Impala and also a '72 Monte Carlo. Both awesome cars. I loved both of those cars dearly and they were great cars.

However, I agree with CobraJoe about the trucks. My dad has had Ford 150's and E150 Vans go 180,000 miles and not have much trouble at all. And his are work trucks and go on construction sites and are not babied. However he had all kinds of trouble with his GMC Yukon. It was a 4x4 1999 model. He had so many problems that I will never buy a GMC truck now.

[cobrajoe]

One can only hope, but what will likely happen as you stay home for the weekend to study calculus; some Ivy league idiot who studies Poli Sci will go to his roommates mansion and smoosh the "Big Boys". You'll graduate with an ME degree, maybe with honors. He will graduate in five years after taking one year off to go to Europe. You'll work you tail off to proove your worth, and he'll be hired to be your boss and go to meetings to make decisions in a committee. Decisions that will cause you to lose your hair and turn what remains grey before its time. But maybe I'm a little jaded. :D
Yes zen, thanks for the reminder. My once thick and beautiful hair is already thinning. And come to think of it, most of my engineering friends and engineering co-workers are in some stage of losing their hair too.

I just continue to hope that my future job won't be outsourced to some other country by said Ivy League Idiot.


CJ,

Paying top dollar doesn't ensure quality and I'll agree to point regarding design but you'll probably change quite a few Mustang alternators (usually hecho in Mexico) before you have to change one Honda alternator. (Plus you're comparing a cramped under the hood FWD car to a classic RWD Mustang) The Japanese just seem to integrate their work better. (And not, unfortunately, for the mechanic's benefit). Please study hard and fix all of this!!!!! Future Shelbys are depending on you!


J
I wish, Let's just see if I can stand working for "the man" that long. And yes, I love my American cars. Lets just say that I don't think Japanese cars are "integrated better", I'd sooner say that they didn't spend enough time placing their components. (Not that all American cars are built perfectly)

And rest assured fellow forumites: When I love my work, I can think of little more than improving it beyond what's already good.